City dwellers like me have to go through great lengths to experience the outside. We’ve been grasshunting because I want my kids to grow up with actual playtime rather than the playtime you get from a screen.
My husband, Lawrence, had a work trip to Clark this week and the whole family joined him. Clark is in Pampanga, about two hours away from Manila. It used to be a US Air Force base but is now redeveloped to be a hub for business and leisure.
We stayed at Quest Hotel, which is nothing spectacular. It’s an old hotel that is showing its age despite being well-maintained, but they make up for it by providing really good service.
But where the hotel truly shines for me is that right behind it is the most massive field I have ever seen in my life. It’s called the Parade Grounds and it is used for sporting events. It has a few soccer nets and a rubberized jogging path traces the circumference of the field. We saw a few bazaar booths in the distance, but we didn’t really visit them.
The kids had a grand time running aimlessly and chasing the birds. It came to a point where R got too tired to run back to us. He stopped and cried, “it’s too hard!” I had to go to him and pick him up. His back was sweaty and his skin warm from the sun. He turns to me red-faced and says, “thanks, mama.”
I didn’t think my heart could contain the Parade Grounds, the sun, the sky, and the whole of the outside universe at that time.
When I heard that there was a chance to review something called the Navigating the Rapids of Parenting, I jumped at the chance. First, because is there another metaphor that perfectly captures raising tiny humans? It does feel like being swept away by water sometimes. Also, did I mention that I have a huge fear of boats, boat-ish and boat-like vessels? For some people, parenting is instinctive. For me, it often feels like I’m flailing around in the void. I’m happy to receive any help I can get.
Parenting Made Practical goal is to raise “obedient, respectful, and responsible” children.
The video is by Parenting Made Practical and led by parent-educators Joey and Carla Link. Their expertise stems from 30 years of experience. It examines the different stages of parenting, from babyhood all the way up to the college years.
The video is chock full of information about the phases kids and their parents go through. It is similar to other parenting videos or books in that it goes into detail about the whys and whens of typical behaviors at each stage. What stood out for me the most though is that the video makes the point that some behavior issues take years to work through.
H is turning six next month. Already, we can feel like she’s saying goodbye to her baby-ness.
In the first part of the video, the focus on young children and the expectations of their behaviors. In our case, we have a very clear picture of how we want H to behave. Of course there are little details, like asking to be excused before standing up from meal or learning how to share her toys without grumbling. But, our goal for her at this stage in life is distilled into one rule: do unto others what you want them to unto you.
The video goes on to talk about how important it is to have independent thinkers, which I wholeheartedly agree with. I’ll be a parent forever, but my child is only a child for a short time. The things I teach my children should allow them to think for themselves. Hopefully, the way we raise them now will lead them to making the right choices in the future.
Parenting videos are tricky, since what counts as gold for one can be eyeroll-inducing for another. There are just so many schools of thought when it comes to parenting that it’s hard to wade through the information. But this particular video has such sincere, practical advice it’s hard to disagree with. Please note though that the video does make use of passages from the Bible when making certain points.
The video itself is well-made. You can tell that this was not a haphazard production. The sound quality is good and the visuals are not distracting. The pace is just right, so that you don’t get lost in unnecessary examples of ramblings. You get what you came for when you watch this video.
All in all, Navigating the Rapids of Parenting is a good purchase for those who are looking for guidance (or even reassurance) when it comes to parenting their kids. It’s a good purchase for families with younger kids since it gives you the advantage of knowing things before it actually happens. For those with older kids, the company also has other products like Dating, Courting, & Choosing a Mate… What Works?
To learn more about the products and Parenting Made Practical, you can connect with them through their social media accounts:
As I mentioned earlier, grass is something that we actively search for. We tried the park at the Ayala Triangle, which is great. But, it is impossible to get to on weekdays because of the traffic.
We tried the PhilSports Arena (formerly Ultra) to see if the kids will like it. I thought that they could run around the track. I didn’t expect that there was a large expanse of grass right in the middle.
It was clean — no trash, cigarette butts, or pet poop, and it was pretty big. Definitely enough space to run around. I don’t think you can whip out a blanket and have a picnic, but it’s perfect for little kids with lots of energy.
There are sand pits that are used for the long jumps. I did track and field when I was high school so I taught the kids a few tricks.
There are lanes designated for casual runners so the athletes aren’t disturbed. Parking is a bit difficult because there aren’t a lot of spaces available.
But, those are small inconveniences to bear. In exchange, you get to see professional athletes train. There’s something about seeing all those jerseys emblazoned with the word “Philippines” that makes you want to run harder. The kids were in awe watching them train. Feeling inspired, H copied them too. Look at his form!
Philsports Arena is located at Capt. Henry P. Javier, Pasig, Metro Manila. The track is open to the public for a small fee. Php35 pesos for adults, while kids get in for free.
Our family spent about two years living in Cebu because of my husband’s work. Although it’s been about four years since we moved back to Luzon, Cebu will always be close to our hearts.
We jump at the chance to visit whenever we can. Even H, who was barely three when we left, gets giddy with excitement. Cebu is still home to her.
Fortunately, we were able to make the trip recently. We stayed at Summit Hotel, a relatively new location for this established hotel chain. The hotel itself wasn’t anything special and it featured a disturbing trend — doorless bathrooms! Why? Although the shower and toilet stalls had cubicle doors, I would still rather have a real one than I can close behind me.
But, whatever weird taste the room design left in my mouth was negated by the fact that Summit was right beside PlayLab, Touted as the first digital playground in the Philippines, it features 14 exhibits where children can use technology in interactive and creative ways.
The first thing you see when you enter is this giant screen with lights. The lights react to your movements. This must have entertained the kids for a whole hour.
In this activity, you transform into different animals. I think the animals are based off the animals in the Chinese calendar. H was obviously ticked at the thought of being an ox.
R is trying to target the trash with a ball. The trash is supposed to explode in a cloud of bubbles, but he wasn’t strong enough to throw it with enough force. He tried to remedy that to no avail. His frustration was palpable.
A lot of the exhibits had the same concept. Design something and then watch it on a screen. Here, we designed butterflies. They also had one where you can build tangram rockets and launch it into space. In another exhibit, you can scan pictures of animals you color and they run around a forest.
The was R scrambles to try to catch up with his sister cracks me up.
The kids obviously had a grand time. They liked it so much that we returned the following day. Although since that was a Saturday the place was packed. We didn’t get to enjoy the exhibits as much. Friendly advice: if you’re going to go, better go on a weekday when the crowds are more manageable.
PlayLab Cebu is open daily from 10am to 9pm at The Greens, Level 1, Robinsons Galleria Cebu. Entrance fees are P200 per person for two hours during weekdays and P250 per person for two hours on weekends.
One of the first things people learn about the Philippines is that we are an agricultural country. As a student, I remember memorizing the main crop products of each region. Bicol grew abaca and Bacolod was known for sugar cane. When in doubt, you can always say copra since those are grown everywhere. In short, land is our lifeline. Filipinos should love earth and soil and plants.
But, the cities are starved when it comes to green, living spaces. We live in a condo and we are about five minutes away from a mall in every direction. When it comes to parks though? Good luck with that.
Lately, I’ve been on a mission to find places for them to experience nature. I’ve set the bar pretty low. I’m not looking for wildlife parks or forests. I just want a place where they can run without mom yelling at them to slow down lest they hit their heads in the concrete.
Our first stop was the park at The Ayala Triangle in Makati. It’s close enough to our place, especially on a Sunday when traffic is more forgiving. Parking is easy, because there’s paid parking right beside it. Entrance is technically free, but there are so many food options it’s almost impossible to walk away without buying anything.
The grounds are well-maintained. But, pets are allowed in the area so you have to be mindful not to step on dog/cat poop.
Lots of space for running and dancing. Security was also pretty tight. There were several guards stationed at the park and they were quite vigilant.
Large trees mean that there are lots of interesting things to fixate on like sticks.
I love seeing them come alive when they have space to run. Seeing them curious and carefree makes me want to pick up a sign and lead a rally, “Less malls, more parks!”
I love my kids, but sometimes I really need a break from their child-like ways.
Since necessity is the mother of all invention, I accidentally came up with a way to get some peace and quiet. Want to hear?
First, ask the kids if they want to play hide and seek. Say that you’ll hide first. Make sure the kids see you rush into the bedroom. Rush to arrange the pillows and the blanket to make it look like someone is under the covers and then hide somewhere nearby. This is phase one.
The kids will naturally check the bed. Their surprised faces will signal the start of phase two.
When they leave the room to check somewhere else, it’s time to relax on the bed.
You’ll have about 10 minutes before the kids come back to the bedroom looking for you. Honestly though, there are some days when even the shortest of breaks already feels like a vacation.
Bonus: When they find you, ask them if they liked your trick of shapeshifting into a bunch of pillows. Their little minds will explode.
You get some time for yourself and they have proof that mommy is magical. Everybody wins.
Our kids are usually at their best first thing in the morning. They get up usually before six in the morning, and wake us up with demands for big breakfasts.
The past couple of months, we’ve settled into a routine. My husband gets up first. When the kids wake up, he entertains them. It usually involves making pancakes or having the kids help him prepare coffee.
I wake up a few minutes later, wash a load of laundry, and change diapers. We all eat a leisurely breakfast together, with my husband usually taking pictures of the kids, before he goes to work.
Once he’s gone, there’s a change in the atmosphere. In our family, dad is the fun one, while mom is the one who gets the boring but necessary things done. The kids play for a bit, while I do the dishes. Then, I give my son a shower and put him down for his morning nap.
While he’s sleeping, I get my daughter ready for school. She gets a bath, fresh clothes, and her teeth brushed. I remind her to pack her bag and then edit it out sneakily (she has a tendency to pack the most random things, like a bag of raw potatoes, to “show teacher”). By 11, my son is awake and we’re off to school.
It’s all very mundane but I really find comfort in following a routine. When I was younger, spontaneity was important. But now that I’m an adult, wow, I find it so overrated. Isn’t it much nicer to know what will happen at a particular time?
Our mornings, in many ways are so ordinary, but they’re my favorite part of the day. What are your mornings like?
Parents, raise your hand if you have ever encountered someone who acted like their sole purpose in life is to comment on how you raise your kid.
They can be family members, total strangers, and my personal favorite, people who don’t even have kids.
Most of the time, I just give a small nod to make it seem like what they said is of consequence to me. Have you ever tried to engage anyone in a debate over parenting?
It’s pretty much pointless.
There’s a notoriously judgmental parent at my daughter’s school. Both my husband and I have been on the receiving end of her disapproval, in varying degrees. Maybe she’s the grandmaster wizard of parenting, so she’s entitled to point out what other parents are doing wrong., but I seem to have missed the memo.
What I am certain about is that parenting is such a personal experience. It’s hard to say that what works for you will work for another. Love is shown in so many ways.
My kids are happy and healthy, and when they throw their little arms around me, I would like to think that means that we’re doing well. So what if another parent makes a snarky comment?
You know what happens when you give enough snarky comments, right? It gives the rest of us the chance to whip out Mean Girl references.
I used to joke around that the great accomplishment of my early 20’s was perfect attendance at all the EDM events held at that time.
Now, it seems that my little three-year old has inherited my love for the genre. She’s currently obsessed with Zedd, who she calls Zoo. In particular, she loves this “party song”
Party song. Hannah would ask for it and say that “she wants to party”
I feel like I’m having a heart attack.
I’ve written about how I will never be the cool parent. This prediction has never rang more true now that my sweet little girl has expressed music preferences that mimic mine. Are you sure you don’t want to listen to the Philippine Philharmonic instead, sweetheart? Enya, perhaps?
I know that at this age she just appreciates how it sounds like and will not be running off to the clubs.
But still.
And when she’s older and actually going out, so what? Lots of people went out to party and remained perfectly safe and made sound decisions their whole lives.
But still.
As parents, we do what we can to raise responsible adults. We teach. We discipline. We say yes when it’s for something good and no when it’s necessary. Right now, I’m teaching Hannah the importance of being clean and organized. At some point, we’ll have to have a conversation on things that are far worse than Play-Doh crumbs on the bed.
I am absolutely terrified at the thought that I won’t always be able shield her from the evil influences in this world. My worries run from exposure to secondhand smoke to lecherous men. Oh, the lecherous men. Keep them far, far away from her.
But I know that eventually, it won’t be my role to shoo away the bad from her life. She’ll have to do that for herself. When that happens, I would have to trust her and trust myself that I raised her well.
But despite this knowledge, I reserve the right to worry about her.
That is why I I hope that her concept of party animals be of this kind for as long as possible.
Most of the time, I just give a small nod to make it seem like what they said is of consequence to me. Have you ever tried to engage anyone in a debate over parenting?
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